


Grow Up - ON HIATUS

by ArcherAuthor



Category: Iron Man (Movies), MCU, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Age Regression, All relationships listed aside from Steve/Bucky are platonic, De-Aged, F/M, Feels, Hints of Clint/Natasha - Freeform, Kid!Fic, M/M, Rhodey is Tony's best friend, Tony Feels, explicit mentions of child abuse, kid!Tony, tags will be added as story progresses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-07
Updated: 2017-08-07
Packaged: 2018-12-12 08:01:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11732916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcherAuthor/pseuds/ArcherAuthor
Summary: It's extremely common for those who grew up in toxic households to become toxic people. This does not excuse their behavior as a person, but precautions should be taken.Anthony Edward Stark never had the chance to grow up, specifically the growing part. People in those kinds of situations deserve second chances, no matter how these chances arrive.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is something I wrote on a whim but do plan to continue.
> 
> It is unbeta'd so there may be mistakes, please let me know if you find any detrimental ones.

The battle had come out of nowhere. No one has particularly been expecting Loki to show up out of the blue, nor that he would suddenly rain down on New York City the way he was.

The Avengers had been called to aid almost immediately so there they went, off battling the odd looking creatures the God of mischief had brought with him. They weren't as difficult as the aliens that had shown up the first time, and sure enough one of the most difficult members of the team headed straight for Loki as soon as he'd gotten the bug-like things to lay off of him.

Steve watched in anger as he saw the shit fly towards where a glow was emanating.

"Stark, where are you going?" He grumbled into his comm.

"To deal with Magic Marvin," Tony responded gleefully.

"Not without backup. Hold off till one of—"

"So, are these guys your buds from rehab?" Steve heard, realizing Stark was already there and already setting himself up for a bad situation.

...

Tony leveled himself down onto the roof that Loki had set up camp on. He held a staff in one hand, the other hanging loose in a pompous way. There was a light coming from the staff, bright enough to blind if looked directly into.

"So, are these your buds from rehab?" He snarked, his voice sounding somewhat mechanical through the suit.

"Of course you're the first I see, Man of Iron," the god said, rolling his eyes boredly.

"What are you doing here, Loki, huh? Come back just for us? That's a bit desperate isn't it? Where are you hiding your diary at, schoolgirl?" Tony continued on with his baiting. He just needed to distract the guy long enough...

"As if I would return for a selection of people as pathetic as you. You only wis—"

"Oh please Gandalf, you're just like a child, running back to his parents because you got too scared without us. I'm sure the comfort of big brother Thor helps a whole lot."

"I'm the child? I've lived more lifetimes than all the souls on this planet combined. You're a mere infant in compa—" Loki found himself being cut off, yet again.

"You even babble like a baby too. On and on. It's so annoying. Do you need to go back to kindergarten to learn some manners? I mean, my god!" Tony exclaimed. This was perfect, he had Loki just where he wanted him. Or at least he thought he did.

The god saw his brother approaching in the distance. He could hear the silence that was left from a lack of his creatures. The rest of these so-called Avengers would be on him soon. He weighed his options momentarily. He locked his gaze on the suit Anthony Stark wore.

"Perhaps you're the one who needs to go back to 'kindergarten!'" Loki chirped in a menacing joy. The light drained from his staff as he moved its direction to point towards Iron Man and with one swift movement a light shot out and Tony was being blasted off the building.

...

Steve watched as the green haze disappeared, thinking for a moment that maybe Stark had actually succeeded, but then he saw the burst of light and from his position next to a calming Hulk he saw the red and gold suit go flying through the air with out direction.

The soldier cursed to himself—though he was sure it was heard through the comms—and started at a sprint in the direction he saw the suit falling to.

"Thor, report on Loki." he demanded quickly.

"Mine brother has vacated the area. I am heading to look for him now. I will update you on this at a further time, Captain," came Thor's voice, and of course the accompanying boom and sight of the demigod flying off, led by his hammer.

"Cap, I found Stark. He doesn't look too banged up."

Barton, Steve acknowledged to himself. "Understood. Where are you at?"

Hawkeye gave his location, also telling Natasha that she should go fetch shield now.

Steve looked back to Hulk, who was no longer there, presumably turned back to Bruce now and off to get some clothing. He sighed and continued on his mad sprint to find his teammate.

When he finally reached the spot he found Clint leaning over the iron man suit, looking it over as if it were some intricate puzzle. He walked up, hands on his waist in questioning.

"Barton?"

"It won't open. Whole thing seems shut down. Jarvis won't respond either." Clint said, throwing a concerned look to Steve—something Steve had rarely seen.

"Nat', how far away is the medical team?" Steve asked, kneeling down next to Barton.

"Right here," came Natasha's voice from behind them, a group of people carrying different equipment behind her.

...

It was two days before the team was given any update on Stark's condition. They'd picked up the incredibly heavy suit and moved it onto the helicarier. That was the last anyone had seen, but finally some news had arrived. Fury wanted them in for a briefing on the situation.

Steve was lost in the confusion of all of this. Jarvis had been offline since the accident, the only way they'd gotten back into the tower and to their private levels was Hogan's access key. He didn't know what was going on, but he was worried sick. Stark was not only a member of the team... but a friend. Steve liked to consider him a friend, even in despite of their rocky relationship.

When he reached the conference room on the helicarier, seating himself next to Bruce, across from Natasha and Clint, he found himself incredibly uncomfortable. The atmosphere was thick with tension, so much so that he felt he could cut a hole in it.

No one said a word.

Nick Fury came into the room in a burst of air, doors fluttering shut behind him, his usual edgy bravado carrying his confidence with it.

"Agents," he greeted, getting a minor response from the group. "As you know your teammate, Anthony Stark, put himself in a reckless position as always three days ago and has since been under the care of shield staff. The information related to his condition that I'm going to divulge to you is not to leave this group, understood?"

Steve wasn't fond of the overtly professional way Fury was conducting this, but he nodded all the same, mumbling a yessir.

"We believe that the beam shot at Stark by Loki had a major affect on him and at the moment we are working to rever—"

"What is it? Spit it out!" The interruption came from Bruce, something no one expected. He seemed tense, ringing his hands on the table, Steve noted.

"Right... the Anthony Stark you all knew is no longer with us. The magic Loki used... err, reverted him to an earlier time."

"English, Fury." Clint cut in, eyes narrowed.

"Perhaps it'd be better if I showed you." Fury turned to face the wall of the room, a screen like thing appearing with video feed of a hospital room.

In the bed was a boy, no older than eight, Steve deduced. He was hooked up to multiple machines, eyes shut. The feed was suddenly fast-forwarded to a scene of havoc. The boy had woken up, reacting the way a trapped deer might. He began trying to pull the ivs from his arms, the fear on his face written so clearly anyone could read it. Nurses rushed in to restrain him and soon he was sleeping again.

The video confined to play on big Fury began speaking again. "That is your teammate, Anthony Edward Stark." he spoke with a tone indecipherable.

"What? No way! Stop bullshitting, Fury! What happened to Stark!" Came Clint's reaction. He stood from his seat, seeming for displeased than anything. "That little shrimp isn't Stark."

"Yes, it is, agent. I assure you. All the tests to prove so have been done and footage taken from the inside of the Iron Man suit proves that that child is him."

"Where is he now?" Bruce spoke up, looking at Fury with a face that said 'give me the answer, the real answer, or you'll regret it.'

"The medical ward still, undergoing psychological tests to determine what he knows and recognizes." Before Fury had even finished Banner was out of the room. Steve fear for a moment but quickly followed behind him. Clint was soon to go as well, leaving only Natasha, who eventually left Fury standing alone in the room like the loyal agent she was.

...

Bruce couldn't believe his own two eyes. There was his friend, his lab partner, Tony Stark, but reduced to a child; a child that seemed nothing like him.

The man was watching through a two-way mirror, Steve next to him, as some woman spoke to the child in the room, holding up the occasional flash card and asking some odd question.

The boy—Stark—was small for the age he looked to be. He didn't very healthy in general. He also looked extremely spooked. And Bruce thought spooked got because he didn't look scared, he was trying so very hard to not look scared, but he didn't look trusting or happy the way a child should. No, he looked spooked.

When the woman finally excused herself, leaving Stark to his own devices in the screening room, she headed straight over to Bruce and Steve.

"Dr. Banner and Captain Rogers?" she asked, and after getting confirmation from both she continued on. "Your friend Tony, as I hope you've been informed, has been transformed into his seven year old self. He seems to only have his memories up to that point, but I was hoping that if you're willing one of the two of your may try introducing yourselves, seeing if that helps."

Bruce nodded immediately. He cared for Tony so much and the boy just looked so frightened, if he could help in any way possible he would. The doctor (he assumed) led him into the room and he approached Stark—no, she referred to him as Tony—crouching when he got close enough.

"Hey there, Tony," Bruce said softly, offering a smile.

Tony had been watching the two since they'd stepped foot into the room. He warily looked Bruce over, chewing at his bottom lip.

"Hello," his voice was soft, and he dropped his gaze to ground right after.

"This nice lady tells me that you're seven years old. Is that true?" When Bruce received a nod he kept going. "Wow, you're quite a big boy then aren't you?"

"Father says so," he mumbled as he nodded.

The door opened again and Tony immediately looked up, his eyes going humungous, a new expression showing up, one Bruce felt all too familiar with.

...

Steve couldn't help himself. This was a teammate of his and he needed to help. He'd let himself into the room, but he was starting to wish he hadn't. As soon as the former Stark took note of him the little boy had practically frozen, his eyes dropping to between his legs, his knees pulled his chest, making himself look as small as he possibly could. If there's been somewhere to hide in the room, Steve was sure he would have gone there.

Bruce frowned, looking over his shoulder to Steve in confusion who only shrugged in response. The woman ushered them out of the room quickly, rushing to Tony's side in an effort to comfort him. Their conversation was audible through the room's speakers.

"Was that cap'n 'merica?" came the softhearted whisper.

"It sure was. Did'ya get too excited to meet him?" she asked, confused to his adverse response.

"No,"

"Then what was wrong, Tony?"

"I didn't know I did something bad. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eyy, another one unbeta's, but I'm trying to actually write as much of this as I can before I return to school, so hey
> 
> Also this is some weird au so not everything (or really anything) fits with the established avengers timeline. Please ignore my inability to write anything that follows canon

Rhodey knew his best friend had a tendency to get himself into bad situations, but something like this? This was past a bad situation. The man groaned, running a hand over his shaven head as he paced the floor of the Tower's main living room. He was alone in the large room, the tv played soundlessly in the background. He'd been told that they'd be arriving soon. The team and Tony being who 'they' were. Oh, and Pepper, Rhodey reminded himself. He wasn't completely sure why Fury had wanted Tony in the custody of people like Clint Barton and himself. but he wasn't going to argue with it. He didn't like the idea of his best friend remaining in the cold offices of the shield offices, but he didn't think he'd really be safer at the Stark tower.

 

Rhodey spun around when he heard the elevator open and sure enough there was good ol' Dr. Banner himself, Clint behind him and Pepper as well. What was odd about the scene was the small boy being cradled to Bruce's chest. This could've looked like a typical thing, all three were dressed normally, even the little boy. Granted the clothing didn't exactly look like something a child would willingly wear--a nice sweater and a pair or child-sized slacks--but still, normal clothing. What was strange about it wasn't even that Bruce was the one carrying the boy. Granted, Bruce did seem like the kind of person who would be good with children. No, what made Rhodey tick was that that boy, the one who even while sleeping looked utterly exhausted, was his colleague, his old college roommate, his best friend. Billionaire, genius, beloved star, Iron Man the hero himself, Anthony Stark.

 

"Rhodes!" Clint greeted first, stepping into the room with an all too cheery smile. "How long you been hanging around here?"

 

Rhodey barely gave a response, eyes locked on Tony. "That's him? How? Do they know how yet? Or why? Why would Loki do this?'

 

"A cruel joke. Tony's suit cam shows that he was giving some especially snarky comebacks." Clint said as he made his way over to the adjoined kitchen. "Anyone hungry?"

 

Pepper sighed in the way Rhodey knew only Pepper could. "Bruce, can you set him down on the couch over here?" It wasn't much of a question.

 

Bruce nodded, heading over to the couch and gently setting Tony down. "Shield said the drugs should wear off in about an hour. He'll hopefully by then. They also said that Jarvis should be back online with his return to the tower--something about vital signs recognition. Jarvis?"

 

Sure enough, the AI's voice rang out, sounding completely normal. It made the situation ten times weirder. "I have returned to full capacity, Dr. Banner. I am here and able to assist."

 

"Good, good." Bruce said, nodding slightly.

 

The elevator door opened once again, this time Natasha and Steve stepped out. The party was really coming together.

 

"Steve, do you really think it's a good idea you're here?" Bruce asked, leaning against the island counter that separated the living room from the kitchenette. "Last time he saw you he was almost nearly hysterical in his reaction."

 

"I live here just as much as anyone else." Steve quipped. "Besides, we don't know that it was me necessarily who caused that reaction." From the tone of his voice the way he stood, Rhodey was guessing that Steve didn't even believe his words himself.

 

"Stevie's right. He does live here." Clint said before biting into the sandwich he seemed to have made out of nowhere. "So what if Tony got so shook up that they had to drug him up just to move him out of the room." His words were filled with sarcasm.

 

Rhodey sighed. God, this was getting annoying. No one was talking about what was important here. "How are we supposed to turn him back into Tony?"

 

"Sir, he is still Tony," came Jarvis's response.

 

"Not what I mean, Jarvis."

 

"Understood sir."

 

...

 

Around four in the afternoon Tony woke up. The team, well rather just group of people, had all migrated to different areas, the tension settling. Bruce and Clint were sat in the open living room, watching some inane show on the television. Natasha was somewhere between the kitchen and living room, just far away enough that she didn't have to be involved. Steve had gone off to his room. Bruce noted that Bucky had shown up at some point, presumably heading off to join Steve. Pepper had left, making Bruce promise to let her know when Tony either returned to normal or more likely simply woke up. Thor still hadn't come back from his search for Loki, but that was to be expected. Rhodey had said he was going to child proof the tower, so he had disappeared as well.

 

Bruce didn't notice Tony's movements till he wasn't there anymore. "Clint.. Clint! Tony's gone."

 

"Wait, seriously?" Clint said as he stood and realized that Bruce was indeed being serious. Tony was gone, as if he'd never been there. But then he was there, back again, being lugged by a stoic faced Natasha Romanoff.

 

"I found him." she said, looking just slightly pleased with herself. Tony on the other hand looked quite upset, but not in a little kid tantrum kind of way, more in a scared to death kind of way.

 

Bruce sighed and walked over to the pair, crouching down onto his haunches to be at eye level with Tony. "Hey bud, when did you wake up?"

 

Tony remained silent, looking down at the floor.

 

"Tony, I need you to talk to me, okay?"

 

At that the boy looked at Bruce finally and nodded. The behavior was so wrong. If he hadn't seen the proof Bruce would not have considered this boy to be Tony Stark in a million years. He made himself seem so small, his movements were stiff and thought out, as if he was sure that any movement done wrong would result in repercussions.

 

"Okay,"

 

Bruce glanced back at Clint in a call for some form of help. The man caught on and stepped up. "Hey, Tones, ya' hungry?"

 

"My dad won't pay you." Tony mumbled finally, still not looking at any of them.

 

"What? Tony, what do you mean?" Bruce asked, his eyebrows knitting together.

 

"He won't pay whatever ransom fee you're asking for. He'll wait, so you should just let me go home. It's not worth it." his voice was growing quieter but stronger in conviction as he spoke. He still stared at his sock-covered feet.

 

"Tony, no, no, no, no one has kidnapped you." Bruce rushed to say, reaching out to touch Tony's arm. The boy flinched, but as if he thought that was the wrong choice he stilled himself, closing his eyes tightly.

 

"He won't pay for me."

 

Clint quickly came to the conclusion that Tony was not what he expected. He'd been all geared up to deal with some bouncy, off the walls, rich spoiled brat. Hell, he was kind of looking forward to the teasing he could pull, but now? This was not that kid. Tony was something else entirely.

 

"Tony, we didn't... we're friends of your dad. H-he's out of town and we're supposed to watch you for a bit." Clint supplied quickly. Any kid would buy that, right?

 

"Why not Jarvis? Or Aunt Peggy? O-or even Mommy? I don't know you. Why would he leave me with people I don't know?"

 

"Err," Clint muttered, side-eyeing Bruce, but this time it was Natasha who spoke up.

 

"They all had to go with him, Tony. It was a very important trip, but he wanted you safe here, so he left you with us, we're going to protect you so you don't get kidnapped." Well, that much was true. That's part of why Tony was with him. The clientele of Stark towers was so little that almost no one knew they were there, yet it managed to have some of the best security Bruce had ever seen.

 

Fury had been adamant that no one could know of Stark's situation. Not only would it jeopardize himself, but it would jeopardize the whole team and anyone connected to them. Bruce was glad to see that Natasha wasn't completely lying. Tony took in the information before nodding just slightly. He seemed to at least be pretending to believe it.

 

"So bud, you hungry?"

 

Finally Tony looked at them, directly at them. He seemed like he was trying to decide whether it would be okay to say yes. Bruce supposed he must have decided it was okay because he nodded and looked back down.

 

"Now that's what I like to hear!" Clint chimed happily, heading towards the kitchenette, gesturing for Natasha and Bruce to follow, assuming they'd bring Tony with them.

 

...

 

The three of them had finally gotten Tony to open up a bit, meaning when asked what he likes to drink he felt courageous enough to say water. Clint had set about making waffles for dinner, an odd thing, Bruce thought, but perhaps it would be a homey food and be soft enough to not upset Tony's stomach, considering they had no idea the last time he'd eaten regular food. Speaking of Tony, the boy had managed to eat a whole waffle, almost looking like he was going to be sick afterwards. Bruce wondered if maybe Tony hadn't wanted to eat the whole thing but felt obligated to.

 

Clint was starting in on his fifth waffle when the room went silent, Bruce dropping his topic of discussing syrup, when he saw Bucky walk into the room and of course Steve followed close behind. Tony was sitting in a chair quite a bit a ways away from everyone, but the doctor still felt him tense. He glanced over at his regressed teammate and saw how his shoulders had drawn in. He was making himself look smaller, just like before.

 

"Hey, it's okay. Tony, what's wrong?" Bruce asked softly, leaning over to him.

 

"That's Ca'pin America?" Tony asked, eyes wide as he looked at Bruce, the second time today and it seemed to be out of fear, nothing more.

 

"It is. Is something wrong?"

 

"Was it because I tried to run? I didn't know. I'm sorry. I didn't." Tony's voice had turned to one of pleading. He looked utterly terrified as he pulled his legs onto his chair, shaking slightly.

 

He'd changed so quickly, Bruce's head was spinning as he tried to figure out the problem. "No, no, Tony what are you talking about?"

 

It was by now that the rest of the team started to notice. Steve had seen it from the moment he stepped into the room, but now they all were watching. Rhodey had even joined the group. Tony shook his head, beckoning Bruce closer to him so he could say something.

 

Bruce leaned even closer, fearing his chair may tip soon. "What is it, Tony?"

 

The boy obviously meant to whisper but in the silence of the room his words came through clear as crystal.

 

"He's here to hurt me, isn't he?'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think and if there's anything in particular that you want to see in the coming chapters!
> 
> as always, you can find me on tumblr @mm-illtryagain


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta'd and written on mobile so forgive me
> 
> Also, sorry for the brevity, I needed to get something out but I didn't know how write this chapter. I know what I want to happen, I just can't get there ywt

"Here to hurt you?" Steve mumbled aloud, eyes squinted as he stared at the form of his prior teammate.

Bruce stepped in quickly, turning Tony so he was only looking at him. "Why would he hurt you Tony? Steve would never hurt anyone who didn't deserve it."

"Daddy... Daddy says that Cap'in America would make me a good kid." Tony mumbled.

Bruce frowned even more so. "What do you mean?"

"Sometimes when Daddy gets angry he teaches me a l-lesson and he said that if Cap'in 'merica were here he would b-be a lot meaner so I should be grateful." Tony mumbled, pools tearing up in his eyes slightly. His voice had gotten so quiet that even Bruce could barely make it out at that point.

"Tony, hey no, Captain America would never do that." Bruce said and then turned to look at Steve. "Would you?"

Steven, seeming dumbfounded shook his head. "I would never hurt a child."

...

 

Steve had barely known Howard. He'd seemed like an okay man, nothing outstanding, but okay. The inventor had no right to conflate his person to something so... so horrible. It made Steve's blood run cold. He would never lay a hand on a child like that. His mother had never spanked him and frankly he just didn't understand even the idea of something so mundane as that.

He'd gotten lost into his own thoughts until he heard shuffling, realizing people were moving about the room. He looked up to see that Bruce was still talking to Tony, but most of the others had moved to other places. Only Steve, Bucky, and Rhodey remained watching the pair.

 

"Steve," Bruce beckoned suddenly, gesturing Tony over. He straightened his shoulders and made his way towards the two, glancing back at Bucky to see that he stood in his place.

 

"Yes, Dr. Banner?"

 

"Tony, you see this guy? Does he look like he'd hurt you?" Bruce asked softly, nudging the little boy.

 

Tony shrugged, giving the answer Bruce wanted, not necessarily the one he believed. "No."

 

Steve stepped forward, just a bit closer. "Hey, Tony, I promise I'd never hurt you... Why don't you and I get to know each other, I'll show you that I'm a nice guy." He spoke with his hands at his sides, his shoulders curled down slightly. It was a soft position, one he hoped would come across as friendly to Tony.

 

After a good minute of internal debate and looking to Bruce and then Steve Tony nodded slowly.

 

"Awesone, bud! I'll show you some of my cool tricks." Steve chimed.

 

"Okay."

 

...

 

It didn't take long before Rhodey had won over his old friend and had taken to watching him. Tony had started to get tired around eight in the afternoon and Rhodey has managed to get him to sleep, despite his muted protests of "big boys don't go to sleep this early" and "but daddy says."

 

Once the the mini-genius had fallen asleep most of the team had reconvened to their normal routines. Clint, Rhodey, and surprisingly Bucky, had all moved to the front room that Rhodey had originally seen Tony for the first time in. They'd all taken to sitting around on the couches, Rhodey and Clint on one of the reclining leather couches, Bucky on one opposing of the other. There was a film playing on the tv, some rip-off of The Hunger Games or at least something similar. On a screen next to the one playing the movie was a camera view of the room Tony was in. There was another screen down in the lab showing the same thing to Bruce as he tried to work on getting some headway on what had happened to Tony.

 

All three men had been pretty focused on the crappy movie, in complete silence when they heard Jarvis's voice ring out.

 

"Sirs, young Anthony has woken up from his nap."

 

Rhodey looked to the screen just in time to see Tony sliding himself through the door. The screen cut to a view of him in the hall. The boy jumped when suddenly Jarvis was speaking to him—that was the first time it had happened.

 

They watched the silent live recording as the two conversed and by the time Tony had finished he had made his way to the living room. He stood a bit a ways away from the two couches, seemingly trying to decide where to sit. He looked down at his socked feet, tugging at the slacks he wore. When he looked back up he made his way right, heading over to Bucky. Before pulling himself up onto the couch he looked up at the man and mumbled something softly. Rhodey barely picked up on it.

 

"May I sit next to you?" he had asked.

 

Bucky, former Winter Soldier, simply nodded, watching, not even helping, as Tony got onto the couch, sitting on Bucky's left and glancing at his metal arm. The whole room was silent.

 

it was silent for a long time.

 

The movie cut to credits and Tony cleared his threat, pulling his legs up onto the couch. "Where is Jarvis?"

 

"What?" Clint asked first, eyebrows screwing together.

 

Rhodey nudged, whispering into Clint's ear. "I think he means his old butler... his name was Jarvis. The AI is named after him." Clint nodded in response.

 

"Oh uh.." that information didn't help Clint at all.

 

It surprised both of them when Bucky took the lead.  "Your parents... they wanted you to feel at home so even though Jarvis isn't here they, uh, made a replica of him. He's here to help you, and all of us."

 

"That is an accurate description, sir." came Jarvis's perfectly executed reassurance.

 

"Oh.." Tony mumbled, nodding. He decided to change the topic. He looked at Bucky, then the soldier's metallic arm. "What's this?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short one. I recently started back st school and I've gotten a new job so I'm a bit overwhelmed, but hey, that's life. My new tumblr if you want to talk to me is @cryptidb0i

After a few hours spent discussing Bucky's arm on the couch the group fell back into a comfortable silence, Tony slowly moving closer and closer to the former soldier. Something about him brought this feeling of comfort, but he couldn't figure out what. It was going to bother him forever, because Tony Stark could figure out anything! At least... that's what Jarvis used to say.

The movie was reaching its resolution when Tony grew hungry. He softly glanced up at Mr. Bucky's eyes, wondering if it'd be okay for him to ask for food. He knew they'd said it was, but how many times had his dad said something was okay and then he was later punished for doing that very thing? He shook his head to himself and turned his focus back to the film. Maybe if he ignored the feeling of discomfort from his gut it would go away. He hoped it would... But then, he suddenly didn't have to hope anymore! Bruce had stretched out and proclaimed that he was going to make something to eat and that the others were more than welcome to join him.

Clint followed in suit but Tony noticed that Bucky didn't move a muscle other than to watch the two leave. This was rather upsetting, as he felt with how close he was to the man—physically that is—he couldn't just get up without causing some sort of trouble. He looked down at his hands then up to Bucky again. Maybe he'd get in trouble for asking this, but he really was hungry.

"Are you not going to eat somethin'?"

"I just ate."

"But by now you'd be hungry again, right? You said you have a fast metab-meta-metabo-me—"

Bucky cut him off before he could struggle with the word any longer. "I do, but I'm not hungry yet."

"Why not? I'm hungry." Tony said, sounding slightly upset, his eyebrows drawn together in a furrow.

"Then you should go eat."

"Not without you."

The young Stark watched as different emotions flashed across James's face. In the end he seemed slightly dumbstruck. He finally looked down at Tony with an expression the boy had only truly ever seen once before. It was soft and happy. He liked it. He wished he could see it more often... he wished he could feel the way that expression felt.

"Alright kid. Let's go eat something." And with that Bucky picked Tony up, resting him on his hip. It was rather comfy in his opinion. He was rarely carried, let alone like this, but he thought he could grow fond of it in the future.

In the kitchen another Avengers member had joined the duo, Steve. The now trio we're working in a cluttered harmony to create what appeared to be some kind of sandwhich. Tony couldn't really tell.

He tended a bit when he saw the Captain though he tried to remember what he'd been told. Captain America would never hurt a child... especially him. He didn't like being called a child—he thought he was more mature than that—but the sentiment was still there. He didn't even realize how much his anxiety was showing till Bucky was removing his hands from the fabric of his shirt so he could set the boy on the counter. A blush covered his cheeks.

Steve glanced up from the stove top where he was cooking some kind of meat to flash a smile. Tony bit his lip and looked downwards.

...

 

Steve was really uncomfortable with Tony. Not adult Tony. Okay, he was also uncomfortable with adult Tony, but that was in a different way. Kid Tony... child Tony feared him. He didn't like that. He didn't like that anyone, especially a child would fear him. He also didn't like the feeling that he was learning more than Stark would have ever of wanted him to know. Sure, it would help to work through later problems in the future... but he respected boundaries and this was certainly crossing probably all of them.

It surprised him when he saw his best friend get up from the couch with Tony rested on his hip. Buck had always been good with kids, but that was before the war, before the super-soldier serum and everything he'd been through. Buck was a chanted man now and it nearly blew Steve away the way he was around Tony.

Steve had always liked Bucky, but this showed a new side of him that he had forgotten was there. So tender and caring. It was soft. For every claw and fang there's always a soft patch of fur right?

The captain flashed a smile at Tony as he was set down on the counter, only to receive a wide-eyed stare and then a dropped gaze. He huffed a breath of grief and looked back to the bacon he was frying. He was focused on that till he felt Bucky's shoulder brush his.

"I would of never—Stark would have never acted like this."

Steve laughed just softly, nodding. "I know what you mean."

"No, Steve, I'm not joking... this kid... he's so different. I didn't know Stark all that well, but from what I did he would have never of done any of what he has."

"He was a... Tony had a rough childhood I think." Steve murmured the phrase. He really wasn't sure how to refer to Tony's childhood. Compared to his own it was easier in certain aspects, but Tony never had a mom who would kiss him goodnight and that had to of been tough. Heck, the kid probably never had much true compassion shown for him at all—well aside from Peggy. Steve could always count on Peggy.

"I know, but Steve; I don't even see Stark in those eyes. I just see... I see something else... I see someone else."

"What do ya' mean Buck?"

"I see this poor kid, stuck in a world he doesn't understand; stuck in a world out to get him. God, you're gonna call me crazy, but the way he looked at me reminded me of something I haven't remembered in a long time."

"What's that?"

"You. It reminded me of the way you used to look at me when we were kids."

**Author's Note:**

> I would really love some feedback on this, as long as it's not negative just for the sake of being negative.
> 
> You can find me on tumblr @mm-illtryagain


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